Thursday, April 13, 2006

Forman for Mayor

Forman vs. LandrieuLandrieu is in the position once held by Blanco. He claims to be personally responsible for increasing tourism in the state. This is the same claim Blanco made which is scary to me. The last thing I want to think is Blanco is like Landrieu.What exactly has Landrieu done? If anyone can give me a solid answer, this would be wonderful. The Lt. Governor position is a joke and that is why the legislature is considering dumping the position. I went to the cultural initive conferences and while some of the discussions were interesting, I never saw any ideas mentioned be put in to action.When Landrieu mentions his action plan and while his outline looks okay, it is not visionary. Landrieu has said he will back the elimination of the 7 assesors and several other things that most everyone is for, which is great, but where is the vision? Landrieu has said he will try and restructure debt, reduce crime, get a new police chief, and increase medical infrastructure. Once again, this is all basic and doesn't strike me as progressive.Why not Forman? Yes, he is an underdog because he doesn't have the "african american" support that landrieu and nagin have, but I still think he is a contender. Forman has consistently had visionary plans and executed them well. Heck, your back yard, audubon, was his baby. Forman has shown consistent hard work to get to where he is in his life. His father was a welder and his mother a bookkeeper. Forman turned around what was once called "the animal ghetto."People complain he commercializes everything he touches. I really don't see this. The Zoo and Aquarium are really top notch and marketed expertly, but I don't see that as a bad thing.People complain he is bulldozer with blinders on. Remember when the plans first went up re-doing Audubon's golf course? Activist groups went nuts. I figured it was going to be another World Trade Center deal and take forever and have tons of bickering. Ron Forman presented plans to the community in an open forum and considered to complaints. The project went forward and now Audubon has one of the busiest golf courses in town.Ron Forman has proven that he will stand up for what he believes in. "With that in mind, Forman said that as mayor he will reach out to the world's "best minds" from Microsoft Corp. founder Bill Gates to former Secretary of State Colin Powell to former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani to serve on a national advisory panel to help map out rebuilding strategies for everything from housing to education to medical care.On a recent trip to Houston, Forman spent an hour with John Mendelsohn, president of the renowned M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, who has tentatively agreed to offer his advice for a redesign of the downtown medical corridor.Forman is offering to overhaul City Hall management by appointing four deputy mayors, two black and two white. It's a change he said would free him up to travel the nation to solicit aid for the city." (NOLA.com)He has plans for crime too. (from his website)* Immediately meet with sheriffs of neighboring parishes, local heads of the FBI and ATF, state Attorney General Charles Foti and U.S. Attorney Jim Letten to size up our crime-fighting capabilities and vulnerabilities, and marshal all available protection* Within 30 days, if there is not a major reduction in crime, I will meet with the Governor to ask for the help of the National Guard to keep our city safe during our recovery* Push for a bill to require a second signature by a judge before a convicted felon can be released on bond* Secure funding for a new headquarters for the NOPD, to replace the building destroyed by Katrina* Turn over non-law enforcement functions of NOPD (such as mechanical work, human resources, financial management) to non-police personnel and put more cops on the streets.Forman really seems to have the most cohesive, realistic, and visionary for the future of the City of New Orleans.